Frozen, a tale of unbreakable sisterhood, the journey of self-discovery, and making mistakes, premiered as a Broadway hit in 2018, five years after the Disney movie premiere. The show was halted by the pandemic, but fortunately, it reopened in 2021. DisFrozen: The Hit Broadway earned three Tony Award nominations, among countless other awards during its time on stages across the globe.
In this hopeful princess tale written by Jennifer Lee, sisters, Elsa and Anna, have endured grief and loneliness, but find their way back to each other while trying to save their small Nordic kingdom from an eternal winter.
A diverse cast from the West End of London, a neighborhood renowned for the arts, makes the icy animated film come to life in a two-act, full-length musical with breathtaking vocals, a nostalgic wardrobe, and special effects that make you forget you’re watching a live performance. The beloved snowman who loves summer, Olaf, makes his Broadway debut as well with his own lines and musical number.
Regarding the special effects, I don’t want to give spoilers, but I had to rewind one of Elsa’s songs right before the end of Act 1 to re-watch the magic. It was executed perfectly, and it’s still a mystery how that was accomplished on a stage.
The cast makes things even more praiseworthy by featuring an interracial couple as Elsa and Anna’s parents, along with a nod to the indigenous people of the Nordic region, called the Sami. In the musical, this group is called the Northuldra, or the “hidden people of the mountains”, and they play a powerful role in saving princess Anna and the kingdom of Arendelle. The Northuldra also represent the late Queen’s homeland.
Act 1 opens with the hit song, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman”. This is the scene where Anna gets hurt by Elsas’s powers (no shock if you’ve seen the animated movie). Anna’s playful spirit endures after the incident, only to meet distance from Elsa, in an attempt to protect her sister from her unruly powers.
The musical features more of your favorite songs from the animated film, like “Let it Go”, along with 12 new songs that range from romantic to playful and heartwarming.
Disney’s Frozen: The Hit Broadway is rated PG
The PG rating is pretty obvious with this being a Disney princess movie, but let’s see if there is anything parents should be on the lookout for as you make this musical a royal family affair.
Sex & Nudity: There are a couple of spicy moments, but production still did a good job of keeping this musical PG, while still being entertaining for adults. There is no sex or nudity. However, Anna falls flat on top of Hans at their first meeting, just like in the animated film. Nothing outrageous about that scene, but Hans and Anna do share a steamy kiss after his proposal. I mean, someone has to heat up the icy tone in Arendelle, right? But, it’s okay, the focus quickly shifts back to the Queen’s coronation.
Besides, Disney princesses have shared kisses with their “prince charming” since the original release of Snow White in 1937. There is also a scene where Anna and Hans have a duet, and Anna’s hand trails from his chest to his lower belly, then she stops and smiles. Littles may not make anything of it, but parents should be aware of this part in case some questions pop up!
Violence: There is nothing too violent for young eyes in this musical. In Act 2, the guards come with swords to look for Elsa in her ice castle and to imprison her for using her magic to endanger Arendelle. They are hopeful that she will fix her mistake. Elsa also accidentally hurts Anna with her magic- again. If your young ones weren’t troubled by this in the animated film, they will be fine with the Broadway production.
Language: Anna uses the word “butt” in a couple of her songs, and that’s as scandalous as the language gets in this musical. It’s sure to make your little one giggle.
Drinking & Drugs: One of the cast members mentions alcohol in a song called “Hygge” (hew-guh), but there is no emphasis on drunkenness. The song has a line saying, “now it’s time to drink”, but the song is about livelihood and enjoying spirits with friends to make light of life’s troubles.
Anna and Kristoff are passing through a remote village on their way to find the Queen when they come across a peculiar merchant. The pair is in search of a winter cloak, but the shop owner has something more “hygge” (hew-guh) in mind to sell them. Adults get the sense that the word represents both the name of a drink and a state of being happy (think Gen Z slang, like the word “sigma”). Adults will enjoy the number, and kids will probably just be confused about what “hygge” really means, so no harm done.
Overall verdict: The PG rating is fair
Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical is safe for your youngest kids and a fun watch for older kids who were around when the animated movie premiered. How exciting for fans to be able to watch the musical at home if making a Broadway show wasn’t in the cards this year. It may also spark some young interest in Broadway musicals, which could become a family tradition!
I’m personally waiting for Frozen 2 to open on Broadway- let’s say my daughters and I were inspired by this one. If the Disney musical does well in streaming viewership on Disney+, I’m curious if other musicals, like Hercules and The Lion King will make their way to the streaming platform also. Frozen closed on Broadway in 2024, but The Lion King and Aladdin are on a Broadway tour currently, with Beauty and the Beast opening as early as June 25 in New York. Check for tickets at the Disney on Broadway website.
I’m also left with the question: could we see a live action Frozen movie soon? With recent live-action remakes like Lilo & Stitch and Snow White, I’m sure anything is possible!
Disney’s Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical is available for streaming now on Disney+.